Bettis Preparatory Leadership Academy

Charter School 118 Students

Elementary School K - 8th

School Overview

Bettis Preparatory Leadership Academy, located on Nicolson Road in Trenton, South Carolina, is a tuition-free public charter school that serves students in grades K–8. Rooted in a historical legacy—the site was originally founded by Alexander Bettis in the late 19th century to provide education to African American students in the rural South—the modern academy seeks to honor this tradition of empowerment through rigorous academic instruction and a strong focus on character development.

The school is designed to cultivate future leaders by integrating a challenging curriculum with personalized instruction. By emphasizing core subjects like literacy and mathematics while fostering a supportive, community-centered environment, Bettis Preparatory aims to close achievement gaps and prepare its students for long-term success in high school and beyond. Through its dedicated mission, the academy works to ensure that students from the Edgefield County region have access to high-quality educational opportunities that promote both intellectual growth and civic responsibility.

118

Total Students

10.0

Full-Time Teachers

11.8

Student/Teacher Ratio

N/A

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Bettis Preparatory Leadership Academy
Demographic	Student Count
White	14
Hispanic	3
Black	96
Asian	2
Two or More	3

Black
96 (81.4%)
White
14 (11.9%)
Hispanic
3 (2.5%)
Two or More
3 (2.5%)
Asian
2 (1.7%)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Charter School
Virtual Instruction:	Supplemental Virtual
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	SC Public Charter School District
Phone:	(803)663-7266
Grade Range:	K - 8th
Total Students:	118
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	10.0
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	11.8
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	0
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	0

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Kindergarten 11

Grade 1 13

Grade 2 19

Grade 3 12

Grade 4 15

Grade 5 10

Grade 6 12

Grade 7 10

Grade 8 16